Progress Report
NaNoWriMo is halfway over, and I am ahead of my goal. The official goal is 50,000 words, but I challenged myself to get 60,000. I will definitely need more than that amount when all is said and done, so getting this much now just puts me in a better position. As of today, I'm even ahead of that goal. Since this year's Nano is going well for me, I decided to document my process here.
Words. It's about words. You do not have a book without words. So I don't worry about getting things exact at this point. There will be time for that later. This is a deadline.
My WIP takes place in a future time, so there will be new "things" to name. Any time I am writing about something that I haven't given a designation, I put square bracket [THING LIKE THIS] where "thing like this" is a current equivalent for whatever future item it is. Later, I will search for all the [NOTES] and address them. I do that for characters who do not as yet have names, too. This is just a way for me to keep the flow of words coming each day without losing myself in details.
I have a white board. At the start of this month, I labeled it for different plot points and characters. I started with a list of major players and their relationships. I have added some. I had a loose plot figured out, but it's still quite flexible. As I come up with the various points I need, I'm filling in the white board. This is a visual that helps me see progress.
Every WIP gets a notebook. I have had a notebook for this particular WIP for about a year, when the idea for it first came to me. In the notebook are various ideas, character sheets, timelines, and questions to dissect. This notebook comes with me everywhere this month. Sometimes, I just need to write in a different space and I do not like carting around my laptop. Notebook and pen to the rescue!
That's how I get my book out during one month. It'll be a mess, I'm sure. I know I spent one day writing out blank exposition, just to have it out of my head. Everything is important, but I'll need to parse all that information out through various scenes and chapters to make it readable.
Are you doing Nanowrimo this year? How is it going for you?
Words. It's about words. You do not have a book without words. So I don't worry about getting things exact at this point. There will be time for that later. This is a deadline.
My WIP takes place in a future time, so there will be new "things" to name. Any time I am writing about something that I haven't given a designation, I put square bracket [THING LIKE THIS] where "thing like this" is a current equivalent for whatever future item it is. Later, I will search for all the [NOTES] and address them. I do that for characters who do not as yet have names, too. This is just a way for me to keep the flow of words coming each day without losing myself in details.
I have a white board. At the start of this month, I labeled it for different plot points and characters. I started with a list of major players and their relationships. I have added some. I had a loose plot figured out, but it's still quite flexible. As I come up with the various points I need, I'm filling in the white board. This is a visual that helps me see progress.
Every WIP gets a notebook. I have had a notebook for this particular WIP for about a year, when the idea for it first came to me. In the notebook are various ideas, character sheets, timelines, and questions to dissect. This notebook comes with me everywhere this month. Sometimes, I just need to write in a different space and I do not like carting around my laptop. Notebook and pen to the rescue!
That's how I get my book out during one month. It'll be a mess, I'm sure. I know I spent one day writing out blank exposition, just to have it out of my head. Everything is important, but I'll need to parse all that information out through various scenes and chapters to make it readable.
Are you doing Nanowrimo this year? How is it going for you?
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